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NIT openers all decided by one point

Wire services
Published March 17, 2004

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Daniel Horton scored 20 Tuesday night to lead Michigan to a 65-64 victory over Missouri in a first-round NIT game.

Bernard Robinson Jr. scored 14 and freshman Dion Harris added 12 for Michigan (19-11), which is 8-0 in NIT games at Crisler Arena.

Arthur Johnson scored 26 for Missouri (16-14), which lost for just the fourth time in its last 11 games. The Tigers are 1-6 in six NIT appearances.

NEBRASKA 71, CREIGHTON 70: Nate Johnson made a running layup with 11 seconds left to give the Cornhuskers a comeback victory in the NIT opener at Omaha. Jake Muhleisen led the winners with 17 points and Johnson added 11. Nebraska (17-12) plays the winner of today's game between Troy State and Niagara on Friday in Lincoln.

SAINT LOUIS 70, IOWA 69: Anthony Drejaj hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Saint Louis in the NIT opener at St. Charles, Mo. Drejaj scored 23 to lead Saint Louis (19-12), which trailed by 18 in the first half. Jeff Horner led Iowa (16-13) with 17 points.

ROLLINS IN ELITE EIGHT: Rollins (27-5) advanced to the NCAA Division II final eight for the first time in school history with a 75-63 victory over Montevallo (23-10) in the South Regional at Valdosta, Ga. The Tars' Placide Muhizi led all scorers with 21 points.

NELSON IS PLAYER OF YEAR: St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson was chosen player of the year twice - by the United States Basketball Writers Association and Sporting News.

The Sporting News went for Stanford's Mike Montgomery as coach of the year; the writers chose St. Joseph's Phil Martelli.

Nelson, a 5-foot-10 point guard, led the Hawks to a 27-1 record and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 20 points and 5.4 assists.

ACC COACH OF YEAR: North Carolina State coach Herb Sendek was named Associated Press coach of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference after leading the Wolfpack to second place in the ACC. He received 67 of a possible 93 votes from media members.

GEORGETOWN: Coach Craig Esherick was fired after a 13-15 season, the Hoyas' third straight out of the NCAA Tournament.

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